The Tour de White Rock: Inaugural Race

Sept. 1, 1980 the City of White Rock holds the first Tour de White Rock

Wheels whizz through wet in Tour de White Rock

The Tour de White Rock, the city’s first certified bi­cycle race was a success despite Monday’s rainstorm, which almost turned it into a tour du Pacific Ocean.

Paul Tettamanti winner of the Class A in the Tour de White Rock. A Vancouverite, Tettamanti placed second in the Canadian Road Championships in Montreal (107 miles) this summer. Ben Verkerk photo

By the time the last class rolled over the finish line just after noon, the volunteers and a few hardy spectators were as wet as the partici­pants.

Fourty-four cyclists whiz­zed up and down the hills of White Rock in a loop from Stayte Road to 136 Street, sometimes passing puzzled motorists with their sophis­ticated machines.

Judging from comments of the participants, the race was well organized and relatively safe. There were lead vehicles for each class and volunteers directed traffic at all the intersections on the race course.

Parks and Recreation Di­rector Doug Stone’s final comments were that next year’s race would be more successful.

“Next Labor Day is going to be dry, and the race will be bigger and better,” he shout­ced to the crowd gathered under a canopy at the end of khe race.

The winners were as follows, with prizes presented by Henry Snickers of Henry’s Sport and Cycle and Joe Hess of Jeffs Realty.

Class A: Paul Tettamanti, first; Neal Carter, second, Andrew Drinnan, third.
Class B: Brent Moore.
Class C: Colin Read, first; Bruce Radcliffe, second; Fred Rowan, third.
Novice Class: Bob Styan first; Mike White, second; Kent Willis, third.
Schoolkids Class: Bryan Rasmusser, first; Doug Clough, second; Steven Ol­sen, third.
There was one Veteran, Roger Sumner, 42, and no Women.

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Ben Verkerk
Sports
September 3, 1980
Peace Arch News
(courtesy White Rock Museum & Archives)